


Terms of Endearment

by polymathic_dragon



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Cultural Differences, Endearments, Fluff, Food, Hobbit Culture & Customs, M/M, bagginshield
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-18 05:02:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29852958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/polymathic_dragon/pseuds/polymathic_dragon
Summary: Khuzdul terms of endearment are pretty common and Bilbo has heard them all, though he's a little wary of using Hobbit terms of endearment as he's not sure how well they will translate. But after so many years of being together he decides he can't help himself anymore...and it turns out to be the best decision.
Relationships: Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield
Comments: 28
Kudos: 135





	Terms of Endearment

Bilbo had settled into his new role as husband and King’s consort well, he had tried hard to make sure that he understood and respected Dwarven culture and customs, while also sprinkling in a bit of Hobbit sensibility where he could. Thorin had always called him sweet terms of endearment in Khuzdul, which he now understood much better having learned the language and its meaning, and Bilbo would smile and reply in kind. It wasn’t that Hobbits didn’t have terms of endearment, but he didn’t think that they’d quite translate well, so he let them slip from his mind. Until one day, he couldn’t help himself. 

It was one of those rare occurrences that Thorin and Bilbo actually had a day to themselves, which seemed to be less and less as the years went on and the mountain fared better than it ever had. Bilbo was laying in bed still, covers strewn around him, while Thorin had gone to grab them breakfast. As he returned and handed Bilbo a steaming cup of tea, Bilbo grinned.

“Good morning honeycake,” he said as he took the cup from Thorin’s hands. 

At first Thorin just nodded, “You’re wel--” but then blinked, “what did you call me?”

Bilbo just laughed and Thorin cocked his head a bit but just let it go, instead climbing up into bed with his own tea and as they enjoyed a quiet morning together. 

\---

It was a few weeks later and Thorin had been working late at his desk, pouring over paperwork. A pile that no matter how long he sat there, never seemed to diminish. Bilbo walked in quietly, placing his hand on Thorin’s shoulder.

“Hello, my lovely potato.”

Thorin leaned back, smiling up at Bilbo, “Hello, ghivashel.”

“How are things going?” Bilbo asked. 

“As well as usual,” Thorin sighed, then he looked up at Bilbo, a small smirk, “Am I a sweet potato?”

Bilbo broke into giggles and Thorin dragged him into his lap, placing lingering kisses all over his face and neck. 

\---

And so it began, Bilbo didn’t want to overdo it so he waited for the right moment, whenever Thorin was distracted doing something else he would break out a Hobbit endearment. 

Thorin was sitting in his favorite chair, reading a pile of documents. Bilbo came in from a meeting and walked up to him, reaching out his hand which Thorin took instinctively. 

“Hello, my handsome parsnip.”

“Hello,” Thorin said, distracted still as his eyes scanned the document. Until it seemed he had processed what Bilbo actually said. He blinked and shook his head, looking up at Bilbo, “What is a parsnip?”

\---

Bilbo found Thorin one day in his forge, he had been working on a project for weeks and had come to bed late most nights, smelling of smoke and metal. It was a smell Bilbo had long gotten used to. He stepped carefully into the forge as Thorin pulled a piece of metal out of the fire. Thorin smiled at him, lifting his hammer in a slight wave. 

“Hello my darling mushroom king,” Bilbo called, a smile plastered on his face.

Thorin paused, setting down his hammer, a slight frown, “Now that’s just offensive.”

Bilbo laughed as Thorin put down the red hot metal he was working with and pulled off his gloves to come over to Bilbo. Bilbo took his hands, “But you're my mushroom, a rare one at that. And I’m so lucky to have found you.” 

Thorin leaned down and kissed Bilbo, pulling him into his arms, “As sweet as that is amrâlimê, I hate mushrooms.” Bilbo laughed into his chest. 

\---

Thorin had been in council meetings for the past two days, they were hosting Men, Elves, and Dwarves of the Iron Hills, hoping to expand trade agreements in the north and also strategize safety and security. Orcs had appeared more frequently recently, coming from the north out of Mount Gundabad. Thorin felt like the headache forming behind his eyeballs would blind him permanently. Bilbo had been in meetings as well, and so they had barely seen each other at all. Finally everyone was free to have an informal lunch together, giving everyone a much needed break. Bilbo swept into the main dining room alongside some Elves and Dwarves. He walked over to Thorin and couldn’t even help the fact that they were surrounded by others. 

“How are you my sweet-tasting cantaloupe?” Bilbo said, taking Thorin’s hands. 

A few heads nearby turned to look at them, clear confusion on their faces. Thorin’s jaw dropped, his eyes wide, “What?” 

Bilbo just smiled. Thorin groaned, a bit mortified, “Why can’t you just call me normal names?” he whispered. 

Bilbo frowned, feeling a bit offended, “If more of us valued food and cheer and song, it would be a merrier world.”

Thorin softened then, realizing his error, “Of course, ghivashel. You are right, I’m sorry.”

\---

Thorin had been away for far longer than he ever wished. He had needed to visit the Dwarven kingdom in the east to rebuild trade agreements and secure allies as rumors had begun that an evil was building in the south. He finally arrived home late, much later than he would’ve liked. There was little fanfare as it was the middle of the night. Thorin departed from his companions, heading straight to his rooms. There was no way that Bilbo would still be awake. As Thorin opened the door to his rooms, he saw that the fire was still going. The door to their bedroom opened and Bilbo’s face lit up, and he quickly strode towards him. 

“You’re finally home! My prize-winning tomato!” Bilbo said as he wrapped himself around Thorin. As strange as it was, Thorin’s heart soared at the endearment, pulling him in tight, never wanting to let go. Somehow, he found himself falling more in love with Bilbo every time it happened. 

\---

Bilbo was tucked comfortably under the covers, waiting for Thorin to climb into bed. Bilbo had let his eyes droop a bit, sad that they had just been so busy lately as to barely see each other before exhaustion overtook them both. It seemed they would be this busy forever, and he thought about what it would be like to convince Thorin to retire and they could travel and live in the Shire. It was a pleasant thought. 

He heard the door to the bathroom open and he opened his eyes. Thorin’s hair was loose and wet on the ends from where it had dipped into the water of his bath. He was only dressed in loose pants and Bilbo couldn’t help but stare. He’d seen his husband naked hundreds if not thousands of times by now, but it always made his breath catch, and the familiar feeling tingle down his spine. Bilbo was hopeless and grinned like a lovesick fool, which Thorin caught on as he climbed into bed, giving his own winning smile. 

“Well hello my sexy roast beef,” Bilbo stated, more sultry than he expected. 

A slight blush came to Thorin’s cheeks as he looked at Bilbo for a long moment. 

“Can I marry you for a second time?” he said, his own voice deep and husky. 

Bilbo nodded but the words he meant to say were lost as Thorin pulled him in close, kissing him soundly. 

\---

Thorin had told Balin he was taking the afternoon off. It had been one of the first nice days after a hard winter and he had hoped to catch Bilbo by surprise and spend a restful and carefree day and evening with his beloved. The possibilities were endless and he knew that this kind of day would be a hobbit dream. 

He went first to the kitchens and got a quick dessert that he had pre-planned with Bombur that morning and then went to their rooms. He found Bilbo writing at his desk. Thorin quietly set down the pastries and wrapped his arms around Bilbo from behind.

“Hello my gorgeous steamed cabbage” Thorin said, hoping he had gotten the endearment correct. As far as he could tell after many, many times it was a positive and loving adjective and then a vegetable or fruit of some kind. He wasn’t very well versed in growing anything, but it was the first one that came to mind.

Bilbo stilled in his arms, the pen where it had been moving even as Thorin wrapped his arms around Bilbo had stopped, the ink pooling a bit on the paper. 

Then what sounded like a laugh, followed by a cough from the Hobbit in his arms. Bilbo put the pen down and turned slightly in his chair. 

Thorin knew immediately by the mirth on Bilbo’s face that it was not correct, “steamed cabbage?” Bilbo said flatly, though amusement played in his eyes. 

“Have I offended you, ghivashel?” Thorin pulled his arms away, frowning. 

Bilbo started, and then stopped, a few times trying to find the words. “I’m not offended, but it just...your heart was in it…”

“But it doesn’t quite work…” Thorin supplied, disappointed.

Bilbo stood, smiling and took Thorin’s hands, “It was a good effort, but you should stick to Khuzdul, my perfect potato.”

**Author's Note:**

> This story is all because I had a random headcanon based on this tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@austinandlexi/video/6933998255915175174  
> I posted it into our Bagginshield discord and it ran away from there and I knew I needed to write it, I really hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> I wouldn't have been so excited to write this without so many amazing ideas and Hobbit endearments from my friends over on the discord.  
> They include:  
> Annako: https://the-game-is-up.tumblr.com/ and https://archiveofourown.org/users/annako_103  
> Artemis: https://curiousartemis.tumblr.com/ and https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtemisMoonsong  
> Erina: https://lesbiankiliel.tumblr.com/ and https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErinacchiLove  
> Posty/Miserable Shire-Rat: https://imsoconfused16.tumblr.com/  
> Mandolinearts: https://mandolinearts.tumblr.com/ and https://archiveofourown.org/users/mandolinearts  
> MulaSaWala: https://mulasawala.tumblr.com/ and https://archiveofourown.org/users/mulasawala
> 
> <3


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